1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a book support apparatus, and more particularly to an improved support apparatus capable of retaining a book in an open position, magnifying printed matter of the book and storing a plurality of books in a convenient and easily accessible location.
2. Description of Related Art
Holding a book and maintaining it in an open position while reading is often a cumbersome and tedious procedure, especially when reading for an extended period of time. In addition to causing the reader's hands, wrists and arms to tire, holding a book in such a position ties up at least one of the reader's hands, thus typically preventing the reader from completing any other tasks, such as eating, drinking, taking notes, and so on, while reading. These and other problems associated with holding a book while reading are especially acute when the reader attempts to, or by necessity, reads while seated or lying in bed.
As a result, a variety of different book support apparatus have been designed to remedy these problems. For example, Vega U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,589 and Webster U.S. Pat. No. 2,546,283 disclose desk-like apparatus for supporting reading materials. Both devices consist of a generally vertically oriented support means on which a book rests, and two approximately L-shaped support stands, positioned on either side of the support means. The horizontal arm of each support stand is designed to rest in contact with a bed or other such, generally horizontal, rest surface on which the reader is positioned, while the vertical arm of each support stand serves to elevate the support means above the bed's surface so that the reader's legs may be comfortably positioned beneath the support means and between the support stands. Unfortunately, both of these apparatus are large and bulky in construction, and cannot be folded into a more compact unit when not in use. Still further, neither of these devices allow for the angle of incline of the support means, and thus the book, to be adjusted, thus limiting these devices for use when a reader is restricted to certain body orientations or positions, such as would be the case for the infirm.
Carson U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,616 and Kanocz U.S. Pat. No. 4,119,289 both disclose collapsible book support apparatus that can be easily folded into a compact unit for convenient storage of the device when not in use. In addition, each of these apparatus provide means by which to adjust the inclination of the support means, and thus the angle at which the book faces the reader, so that the reader may adjust the apparatus when his or her body position is changed. However, the support stands of each of these devices are relatively flimsy and unstable, thus making the device more prone to being damaged. Still further, the support stands of these devices have a two-legged construction in which the legs extend downwardly from the support means and terminate with relatively small feet which rest on the bed surface. This is undesirable in that local depressions in the bed surface or its coverings can result in an unstable or tilted book support surface. Also, the legs of these devices are somewhat flimsy and thus subject to being easily broken.
All of the above detailed devices are also significantly flawed in that they do not provide means by which to maintain a book in the open position. This is a significant disadvantage, as the reader must therefore still constantly keep at least one hand in contact with the book to keep it open while reading. Still further, none of the above detailed prior art devices are capable of being used without the support stand that elevates the book, thus making such apparatus ineffective when the reader is in a position other than lying or sitting in bed.
Portis, Jr. et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,378,102 discloses an apparatus having a relatively thin, flat support means and two V-shaped support stands having one leg of each support stand longer than the other. An elongate slot is positioned in the end of each of the arms, and a corresponding slot is positioned near the side edges of each of the support means. In use, one arm of each support stand is positioned against the bed surface, while the other arm of each stand extends angularly upwardly from the bed surface. The slots in the upwardly extending support stand arms are engaged with the corresponding slots in the support means, thus securing the support means and the book at an elevated angle from the bed so that the book can be easily read from a seated position. In addition, a series of slots are positioned in a downfacing edge of the support means, while two lines are secured, at one end, to the upfacing edge of the support means and weights are secured to the other end of the lines. When it is desired to hold a book open to a particular page, the lines are simply positioned over the book and into one of the slots in the downfacing edge, the weights causing the lines to be pulled taut across the book's pages, thereby maintaining it in an open position. The height at which the support means and book are elevated can be easily adjusted by alternately interconnecting the slots of the long arms or short arms of the V-shaped support stands with the support means.
Unfortunately, this apparatus provides no means by which to adjust the inclination at which the support means and book are positioned. This is a significant limitation, as it makes the book difficult to properly view when a reader is positioned in any position other than an upright, seated position. In addition, while this apparatus is partially collapsible in that the support stands can be disengaged from the support means when the device is no longer in use, the V-shaped stands cannot be folded into a more compact manner, thus making the device ungainly to store.
Thus there is a clear need for an improved book support apparatus that is fully adjustable so that it can be utilized when the reader is in any number of sitting or lying positions and fully collapsible so that it can be conveniently and easily stored when it is not in use. Such an improved book support apparatus would also include a means by which to retain a book in an open position. Further, such a book stand would be made in a highly automatic fabrication method for ease and economy of manufacture. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.